


Cookie Monsters

by Pink_Dalek



Series: RA Blues [5]
Category: Endeavour
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 03:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18202940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pink_Dalek/pseuds/Pink_Dalek
Summary: Another Tumblr prompt. One character works in a cookie shop. The other one is addicted.I think these two idiots are starting to really fall for each other...





	Cookie Monsters

_Monday_ :

 

The only good thing Joan could say about her Statistics class was that, since it was summer, it was an accelerated course, so it would be over sooner. It was held at one of the adult-ed schools, and she’d found a cookie shop along her path from the bus stop to the school. It was called Cookie Monsters, and specialized in oversized cookies of every flavor imaginable. She’d started popping in most days after class for a fix.

The little bell on the door jingled cheerily as she opened it. “Annie, I hope you set aside a Death By Chocolate for me,” she called out to the shop owner. Death By Chocolate was a rich, brownie-like cookie full of chocolate chunks and chopped pecans.

“Annie’s on holiday for a week. Her niece is getting married,” answered a male voice.

“Oh, that’s right. God, this class is frying what brains I have left after the school year.” Joan looked up from her bookbag, and froze. “Morse?”

“Joan?”

“I never expected to see you here.”

“I took a summer job in the kitchen at Moonlight. The owner knows Annie, and mentioned she was looking for someone to help fill in this week while she’s away. I’m trying to put as much money aside this summer as I can.”

“That makes sense. Moonlight?”

“The pay is standard for kitchen work, but I get dinner too. Death By Chocolate, you said?”

“Yes, please.” Joan paid for the cookie, put a pound in the tip jar, and took her treat. “Bye, Morse.”

 

 

 _Tuesday_ :

 

“Hi, Morse.”

“Hello.”

“Could I get a Death By Chocolate?”

“Would you like it warmed?’

“Yes, please.”

Morse cast about for something else to say. “How is Doodle?”

“Doing really well. He’s almost outgrown his shell again.”

 

 

 _Wednesday_ :

 

“Do you come here every day?”

“These are the only things keeping me sane through Statistics. Don’t judge me.”

Seeing Joan was the closest thing to a bright spot in Morse’s day. The cookie shop was annoying: cloyingly sweet-smelling, and there were far too many spoiled children screaming and demanding and making messes while their parents did nothing.

It also reminded him of the cookies she and Shirley had baked a few months before. After she left he tried one of the chocolate chip monstrosities— all of the cookies were the size of saucers. 

It was nowhere near as good as those had been. Too sweet, and it lacked the hint of spices. The bell jangled, a shrill little voice shrieked “I wanna chocolate marshmallow one, Mummy! I wanna chocolate marshmallow!” 

Morse sighed and managed something like a smile. “Welcome to Cookie Monsters.” 

 

 

 _Thursday_ :

 

“Hi, Morse.”

Morse chuckled as he put a warm Death By Chocolate cookie in a paper sleeve. “Your fix, madam.”

“Most polite pusher I’ve ever met.”

“How’s your father?” The moment it left his lips Morse blushed bright red and wished the floor would swallow him up. “Er— I mean— “

Joan tried not to giggle, but his discomfiture made it even funnier. “He’s— he’s fine. Still terrifying any bloke who looks twice at me.”

“That came out _so_ wrong. I’m sorry.” Morse practically threw the cookie at her, already all but running to the back room to hide.

“I didn’t mean to laugh,” Joan called after him. She mumbled something else, realized what she’d said, blushed, and fled.

Morse caught a murmured, “cute when you blush” before the stupid little bell on the door jingled ironically.

It took five minutes and splashing cold water on his face before the blush was completely gone.

 

_Friday_ :

 

Joan bounced into Cookie Monsters. “I passed the midterm! Three more weeks and I’m done with this stupid class!”

“Well done. That deserves a bonus.” Morse took out a mutant cookie he’d tucked away. Two had melded together on the baking sheet.

“Good lord. I’ll have to put some of it away for later. How much is it?”

“On the house. Annie doesn’t let us sell the wonky ones.”

 

 _Monday_ :

 

Joan stepped into Cookie Monsters with a smile, looking forward to seeing Morse.

“Hi, Joan!”

“Annie! Oh, that’s right— you were only gone for the week. How was your niece’s wedding?”

“Absolutely lovely. Yes, it’s a good thing I was only gone the week. I’ve already had three different people tell me that lad I hired to fill in was rather sour.”

“Sour? I suppose if you didn’t know him,” Joan mused. “He’s really just serious, and quite shy.” She supposed she’d just gotten used to him.

 

 

 _Three_ _weeks_ _later_ :

 

“I survived Statistics! And I feel quite good about the final, too.”

“Good for you!” Annie handed her a warm Death By Chocolate cookie. “On the house. Oh, and Morse stopped in earlier. He left this for you.” She handed Joan a small, plain brown bag. 

“Thanks. I have no idea what it could be.”

“He said you both were on the same dorm floor.”

“He was my RA.” Joan opened the bag. Inside was a beautiful shell and a note.

 

Joan,

I thought your class should be done by now, and I remembered you said Doodle was outgrowing his shell. I went to Banbury Wet Pets in Summertown and found this one. I hope it fits him, or will soon. If it doesn’t or he doesn’t like it, the receipt is underneath. Congrats on getting through Statistics.

—Morse

 

“That was really sweet of him! I never expected it.”

Joan hurried home and went straight to the tank in her room. “Doodle, I have a present for you! Bit odd, though. Morse went and bought you a new shell. I guess I mentioned you were outgrowing this one and he remembered.” 

Doodle explored the offering with his antennae before wriggling out of his old shell and into the new one, taking his latest home for a test trundle about the tank. Joan watched him, musing. “I wonder why he did that? It’s not like he was overly fond of you in the dorm.”

**Author's Note:**

> In writing these, I googled hermit crab care and discovered that a) you should offer a hermit crab 2 or 3 new shells to choose from, and b) they’re social, so you really shouldn’t keep one by its lonesome. I’m sorry, Doodle.


End file.
